Unrequited Love
by Kyraillion
Summary: All was going well for them... until the day he got shot.
1. Chapter 1

Riza showed up for work early that morning. Since Roy was always there before she was, she decided that he could go ahead and give her her assignments early.

As she turned the corner to HQ she felt something cold and wet hit her cheek, then her hand, then her nose. Quickly she pulled out her umbrella. 'Great,' she thought. 'Now Roy will be in a bad mood. He always gets cranky when it rains.'

Umbrella in hand she crossed the street. After the car in front of her moved, she saw two men in dark military cloaks obscuring something lying on the sidewalk. They were crouching next to the ground and muttering words that Riza could not hear.

Splashing through the rest of the street and up to the sidewalk, Riza caught more of their conversation.

"No pulse," said one man. "Not that I can feel anyway." Riza recognized him as Lt. Fury.

"Dang, what did this man get himself into?" Havoc wondered aloud. "What are you standing there for, Fury? Get the doctor or nurse or something."

"What happened?" Riza approached Havoc.

Havoc's eyes were starting to become glassy and wet. "We,... we found him on the steps here..." he stammered.

Riza moved Havoc aside with a shove to see just who it was who was dead on the stairs.

Black hair and unseeing matching coal eyes greeted her.

Roy.

It was Roy.

She knelt beside him.

Rain was collecting on his face and running down his nose like false tears. A memory of Hughes's grave forced it's way into her head.

Reaching into her coat pocket, she pulled out a handkerchief and whiped away the water droplets.

"He hates rain..." she muttered. Turning to Havoc she yelled, "Get him inside! Help me get him inside!"

Havoc hung his head. He knew nothing could help Roy now, but he obeyed Riza. He had seen her upset and angry too many times and knew better than to disobey her.

Leaving her umbrella abandoned on the side walk, she gently cradled Roy's head and shoulders as she and Havoc carried him out of the rain and laid him on the table in the break room.

Riza noticed a dark red stain of blood flowing from Roy's chest. As huridly as possible, yet still gentle, Riza stripped of Roy's coat and tore open his shirt. There were two bullet holes. Each flowing with bright red blood. "It's bright," she muttered to Havoc.

"Then he's still alive." Then lowering his voice so she wouldn't here he added, "for a little while."

Lt. Fury stormed into the room with a white haired older man in a white coat and a bag of doctor's tools.

The man turned to the Lieutenant. "It's worse than you told me. There's no time to get him to the hospital. I'll have to operate here.

Handing a pair of gloves to the three subordinates, he stated, "You'll have to help me.


	2. Chapter 2

It took what seemed like days to get the bullets out of Roy's chest. On was embedded deep in the muscle of Roy's left side. The other had collapsed his right lung and proved much more difficult.

Riza turned off her emotions and maneuvered on nothing but adrenaline. The doctor told her what to do and like a robot she responded. Havoc and Fury were helping by staying out of the way and handing things to the other two when they asked.

Finally the doctor pulled the second bullet loose and stemmed the flow of blood. Taking Roy's shirt he tore it up for extra bandages.

Riza looked at Roy's face. Sweat was pouring from his brow. Likely he had a fever to accompany the wounds. Again she took her handkerchief and whiped the man's face. He was so pale. He looked almost ghostly. Suppressing a sob, she turned to deposit her bloody latex gloves in the trashcan. Before she could stop it, a tear fell from her eye.

Havoc turned to acknowledge her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You've done all you can. The Fürhür himself is loaning his personal carriage to transport Roy to the hospital. It'll be here soon."

She smiled sadly, not really cheered by Havoc, but by the thought of Roy's reaction to a personal favor from the Fürhür.

A knock at the door alerted them to the arrival of the carriage. Riza stood by silently as Fury and Havoc carried Roy out of the room, down the stairs and into the carriage. As she followed down the stairs she noticed her umbrella lying on the bottom stair. She bent quickly to retrieve it and continued to follow the others.

Thanks for all the reviews! I really appreciate them! I've never done a fanfic as dark as this one. Believe me, it's only going to get worse for Riza. It took me a long time to work up the symbolism in these first two chapters. Thanks a bunch! Will update soon!


	3. Chapter 3

Riza drug a chair over to Roy's bedside. The nurse had told her that the chances of his survival, even now after the bullets had been removed, were still slim to none. She looked at his face. He still hadn't woken up. She didn't blame him. Pumped full of painkillers, he would probably be asleep for a while. It was strange. He looked so peaceful with his eyes closed and breathing steadily. He wasn't so sweaty any more. Apparently someone had done something to lower the fever.

Once, when her mother had been in the hospital, a doctor had told her that even though unconscious people were supposedly unable to hear anything else in the room, it didn't hurt to talk to them. Riza started to speak to Roy, just to pass the time.

"I always told you that mouth of yours would get you in trouble," she chuckled slightly, then changing tones, she continued. "What did they do to you, Sir? Who did this? Who would do this to _you_?"

Of course Roy didn't answer her.

Riza brushed a strand of hair away from Roy's face with a caring motion, permitting her to show her feelings; an action she rarely allowed herself.

"You try too hard, Sir. Where ever it was that you went to do what ever you did, you should have taken someone with you. You know any one of us would have gone, even without an order. Something strange is happening in the military. I can sense it too. Someone killed Hughes because he knew something he shouldn't have known. What did you find out? What could be so much worth keeping a secret that every one who is suspicious of something should be eliminated? Are you sure climbing to the rank of Fürhür is a path you want to take, Sir? What of the consequences? Are they really worth the pain?"

Roy shuddered on his bed. Perhaps he heard her after all, or perhaps he was beginning to wake. Either way, it was a much-welcomed sign.


	4. Chapter 4

Three days later, Roy finally decided to wake up. The nurse still wasn't hopeful, but Riza knew that if anyone could survive by just being stubborn, Roy could.

Roy squinted at the bright lights on the ceiling. Where in the world was he? As the room slowly came into focus, he recognized Riza's face staring intently at him.

"Forgive me, sir," she muttered before slapping him across the face. "What did you get yourself into," she yelled, "You had us all worried!"

Roy didn't react.

He just lied there shocked as he tried to piece together what must of happened.

Havoc and Fury ran into the room. "If Riza's yelling, then he's awake!" Havoc half sang as he walked into the room. Warrant Officer Falman also entered the room and stood at a saluted attention.

"At ease, Falman," Roy grumbled without even looking in the man's direction.

"Yes, Sir!" Falman's arm snapped back down to his side.

The elderly doctor, hearing all the commotion, decided to survey the situation.

"Ah," he smiled. "You're awake!" Then, turning to the subordinates, he added, "Get out, this man needs rest, not a circus freak show."

Falman, Fury, and Havoc all hung their heads and exited the room.

"That means you too, Missy," he turned to Riza.

She stood up and turned to leave.

"Stay," Roy croaked. "And that's an order. Sorry, Doctor, but she only takes orders from me."

The doctor just smiled, "Well, if you say so." He started to strip off the old bloody bandage binding Roy's chest. Roy gritted his teeth as the cloth was separated from the raw and torn flesh.

Riza went to lay her hand on his arm, but reconsidered. She wasn't sure how Roy would react. He usually took any form of comfort as a sign that he was acting weak. As the doctor got to the last layer, the layer that had bonded to the scab of the wounds, Roy let out a piercing yell, followed by a whispered curse. Riza bit her lip, trying hard not to cry again. She hated to see Roy in this much pain, and she hated the person who had caused it. She looked forward to the day her guns could put an end to that person's life.

Later that day, Gracia and Elicia Hughes came to visit Roy. Mrs. Hughes laid her hand on Roy's shoulder. "Hello, Roy."

Roy didn't react.

Elicia put her small hand inside his cupped fist. "Uncle Roy!" she squeaked. "Are you okay?"

Roy didn't react.

He continued to stare at the ceiling.

"Roy, if there's anything we need to get you, just let us know," Gracia said as she left the room in tears. Why had her Maes had to die? It wasn't fair.

"Bye bye!" Elicia followed her mother.

Riza closed her eyes and frowned. Roy had built up a wall to the outside world. He had retreated in his shell for some reason.

"Sir, what's the matter."

No answer.

"Sir, who shot you?"

Roy blinked. "You wouldn't believe me."

"Just try me," she remarked.

"Maes," he breathed. "Maes shot me."


	5. Chapter 5

"Are you certain, Sir?" Riza asked. She knew as well as he did that Maes Hughes was dead, but Roy would never lie about something like this.

"Affirmative." Roy coughed. "I was coming up to HQ to try and find Chezka. I stumbled upon Juliet Douglas as I started up the stairs. I don't know why my mind picked that moment, but it did. I remembered serving with a Juliet Douglas in the military. She was a red head. The furhur's secretary was NOT the Juliet Douglas I served with, yet she had her record files. '_Hello, Juliet_' was all I had gotten the chance to say when, lo and behold, Maes walked around the corner.

" I ran over to him. Surely, it couldn't be him, but there he was, plain as day. _'Get yourself a wife!'_, he shouted at me. I couldn't believe it. At first I thought perhaps Gracia had achieved a human transmutation, but then I ruled that out. Neither her nor Maes knew any alchemy.

"I reached out to shake his hand as he took his hand out of his pocket to do the same, but as his hand came out, I saw it was holding a gun. I raised my fingers to snap, but I didn't have my gloves on. A dumb mistake. I started to back away, but it was too late. He shot me, and Juliet just turned and walked away. Maes shot me."

A tear perched itself on Roy's eye. It tumbled down his cheek, and for the first time in his life, he was unable to stop the flood of tears, not only from his eyes, but from his very soul. Riza put an arm across his back and he rested his head on her shoulder.

"It wasn't him," she said at length.

"I know. But the question is, then, who was it?"

Roy lay back down, the pain in his chest was a powerful testament to just how he was hurt both physically and mentally.

"Sir?"

"I'm fine. I just need to be alone for a while."

"Are you sure, Sir?"

"Yes. You should go home and get a good night's sleep."

"Yes, Sir."

Riza walked down to the waiting room on the next hall, sat down in a hard wooden chair, and went to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Riza woke up in her hard chair. She tried to stretch out the stiffness, but it wouldn't work. She decided that she would never sleep in a hard-backed wooden chair ever again. Not even for Roy.

She walked into the hospital cafeteria. They usually served breakfast to visitors at about this time. She knew. She had left the hospital only once since Roy had been admitted to his room, and that was only to get a few changes of clean clothes and essentials. After ordering and paying for her bagel, she sat down at a vacant table. Seating wasn't hard to find. She was the only one there.

While she was spreading on the cream cheese, Havoc walked into the cafeteria.

"Well, hullo, First Lieutenant."

Havoc too got a bagel and coffee and sat down.

"How's he doing?"

Riza absentmindedly stirred her coffee. "Alright, I suppose." She said nothing of the previous day's breakdown.

"And how are you?"

"Fine," she yawned, taking a bite of her breakfast.

"No you're not."

"Pardon?"

Havoc sighed. "No, you're not fine. You need to get home and get some rest. Roy's a grown man, he can take care of himself." He lit a cigarette.

"I just feel like a failed him. If something else happened while I was away, I could never forgive myself. And this is a hospital. You shouldn't be smoking here," she added by way of telling him to mind his own business.

"I know. I know. It's a habit, all right? And I'm just saying that perhaps it would be better if you at least went home for a few hours. Take a shower, and sleep in a _bed_ instead of a chair. I'll sit with him if it'll make you feel any better."

Riza chewed silently, thinking over what Havoc had said. "Alright, but not for long. Just do me a favor, Jean. If anything happens, let me know."

"Of course."

Riza threw her coffee cup away and went home to take a shower and sleep discontentedly for a few hours.

Jean Havoc finished his breakfast and took the stairs to room 204. The door was open and Roy was awake.

"Cheerio!"

"_Hello, Havoc._"

Jean pulled the chair up near the bed. "Well someone's in a crappy mood."

Roy sneered at him. "And you expect me to be happy that I got shot?"

Jean was taken aback. "N-no Sir. I,... I only meant that perhaps you should look on the bright side is all."

"And just what is on the _bright side_?"

"Well...um..."

"That's exactly what I thought."

They sat in silence. Jean examined his shoelaces while Roy stared into space.

Finally Roy spoke. "I need you to do me a favor, Havoc."

"Yes, Sir?"

"Go to my office and get me a file labeled 'Homunculi'. I need you to make sure that nothing falls out of it. There are some pictures and descriptions that Edward Elric made of a particular homunculus that I'd like to mull over."

"Yes Sir."

Havoc walked over to Headquarters. It wasn't that far from the hospital. It was sunny then, and he was glad he was off duty. He hated having to wear that hot uniform on nice warm days.

Entering the office, he thought he heard a noise. Looking around, he decided that it must've just been his imagination.

"I wish he would have told me which file cabinet this was in," he muttered to himself as he searched through the second cabinet.

Finally he ran across a vanilla folder labeled 'Homunculi' just as Col. Mustang had said.

"Here we go! Finally!"

Jean took a moment too make sure it looked like all of the papers were still there. He was surprised by the content of the folder. Ed was definitely no artist, but even through his rough sketches, these people looked scary.

He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

"Who's there?" He asked without turning his head. "Show yourself. This is Col. Mustang's office, and you cannot enter without authorization."

A sly voice answered him. "And just who do you think _you_ are to order _me_ around, Second Lieutenant?"

"Fürhür President! I'm sorry sir!" Jean turned around, snapping to attention.

"What are you doing here, going through Col. Mustang's private files, I ask?"

"He ordered me to retrieve some papers, Sir."

"Ah, I see."

"Permission to return to the hospital and deliver requested file, Sir?"

Fürhür Bradley scanned his eyes from the vanilla folder to Jean. "_Of course_."

Havoc returned to the hospital slightly shaken. What had the Fürhür President been doing in Col. Mustang's private office?

Jean entered Roy's room. "Here's your file, Sir."

"At ease. Thank you."

"Oh, and the Fürhür was in your office, Sir."

"What was he doing in there?"

"I'm not sure, Sir. He rather startled me. He didn't even announce his presence. I just felt him moving behind me."

Roy let out a small chuckle. "Well, that's the Fürhür for you, isn't it. He doesn't _have_ _to_ tell anyone anything, does he?"

"No, Sir," Jean agreed.


	7. Chapter 7

"Did I miss anything, Sir?" Riza, looking slightly less disheveled after her day of rest, entered Room 204.

"Oh, and hello, Havoc," she added noticing Jean in a chair in the corner of the room.

"Not much. Lieutenant, I have a question for you," Roy greeted, "Have you seen this homunculus?"

"Homunculus? Aren't those the stuff of legends?" Taking the file from Roy's hand she leafed through the papers.

"That's the one," Roy stopped her when she came to the drawing labeled Envy.

"No, Sir."

Are you certain?

"Positive, Sir."

"Alright," Roy sighed. "Can you go get us all some coffee? I'm parched. How about you, Havoc?"

"Yes, Sir."

Riza went down the hospital cafeteria and purchased three cups of coffee. She grabbed one creamer and two sugars for Roy, and two creamers for Jean. After working as Roy's subordinate for years, both she and Jean knew just how everyone took their coffee.

Returning with coffee in hand, Riza too pulled up a chair.

"Are you feeling any better, Sir?"

"A little," Roy nodded. "The morphine has dulled most of it, but I can't say I'm fond of the bandage changes yet."

Riza nodded.

They had a nice conversation about topics they all could relate to, mostly about the military, as it grew steadily darker outside. About an hour after sunset, Jean decided he would go on home.

"You should go too Riza."

"You want me to go to Jean's house, Sir?" Riza asked confused.

"NO, Not Jean's house, YOUR house! Why would I want you to go to Jean's house?"

"Sorry, Sir." She apologized, even if it wasn't her mistake. Her years with Roy had also taught her that sometimes it best to just apologize and end the argument even if she wasn't in the wrong. You never could win an argument against the Flame Alchemist.

"I'll be fine here. Besides, what could happen to me in a hospital?"

Riza nodded reluctantly, and they took their leave.

Riza shifted her coat to a more comfortable position on her shoulders. Even though she too was off duty, she still wore her uniform, even if Jean and the others didn't. Jean suspected that she just didn't have anything else in her closet, but he knew better than to mention it.

Since Riza and Jean both lived just two streets apart from each other, they walked home together. Neither spoke, they just took comfort in each other's familiar presence and wondered when things would get back to normal.

Jean felt the hairs on his neck stand up again. Riza also felt something strange and pulled her gun.

"Hello, dogs of the military," the homunculi named Envy hissed.

The two subordinates turned around.

"Envy!" Riza instantly recognized the person from Edward's drawings.

"Well, so you know my name, or at least my alias, but can you tell me who I am now?"

Right before their very eyes the body that was Envy shifted, and transformed into a slender pale faced man with black hair.

"A-Archer, Sir?" Jean was obviously confused.

"Very good, and now?"

Envy transformed again into a bare-chested hulk of sparkly muscle.

"ARMSTRONG?"

"No, Havoc, it's still Envy! NO MATTER WHO IT TRANSFORMS INTO, IT'S STILL ENVY! Don't let it fool you!" Riza screamed and brought her weapon up.

"Oh, very good! Going to shoot me now?" Col. Mustang's voice asked her.

Riza fought hard to clear her mind. This wasn't Roy! She pulled the trigger. Again. And Again.

"Oh, wrong person," Envy spoke, seeming not to feel any pain and turned into Maes.

Jean was really wishing he had a sidearm now. He felt utterly helpless. Riza tossed him a small pistol from inside her shoe as quickly as she good.

"Sorry you had to waste your bullets on that fraud," another voice, this one definitely female commented.

A woman in a black low-cut dress and long black hair emerged from the shadows.

"What do these people want?" Jean screamed and fired at Lust. Riza joined him in firing while also trying to keep Envy at bay. She pulled the trigger again, and nothing came out. She was out of bullets, and the enemy seemed undaunted.

"Well,... what are you going to do now," they asked in unison.

**((: A/N Tell me what you think of this chapter. I can take it a different direction if you want to me too. After all, this is for me to enjoy writing, but most of all; it's for you to enjoy reading. As for the title, you'll see its significance latter on in the story. If I told you why I titled it Unrequited Love now, it would sort of spoil the ending. This is the first fic I've ever made that's been this long! Yay! Please tell me any suggestions or ideas that you may have, but no flames please!" :))**


	8. Chapter 8

Riza reached frantically for her spare gun strapped neatly inside her uniform. Wishing Havoc had brought his own weapons, she managed to pull out the extra pistol, a six-shooter.

"It takes more than just bullets to kill a homunculi," Envy teased.

"Our bodies are not completely human, so they don't react to bullets the same way as yours do," Lust emphasized her point.

"Of course, we each have our own unique weaknesses," Envy drawled on. "You just have to know how to exploit them..."

Neither Riza nor Jean fired. They both knew that the key to their survival was to keep them talking, and to keep a keen eye on Lust's fingers, which could extend blades as sharp as razors, and kill instantly.

Keeping her gun aimed at Lust's head, she tried to continue the conversation by asking questions, "Just what is it you want then?"

"To be human,"

"Having no soul is kind of a bore actually, I mean, sure you get to kill a lot of people and you don't have to worry about going to hell when you die,"

"Because there's no soul to be tormented," Lust finished.

Havoc stepped up to the plate and continued, "So how will killing us help you obtain your goals,"

Smirking, Envy supplied an answer. "It won't. But it sure is fun to make you squirm."

Jean's insides went cold and he really wished he had a cigarette. He didn't want to look weak. From Edward's description of these 'people', they killed a man just _because_ he had shown signs of weakness. "So just how do you plan to become human if you kill all of the people who could help you?"

This gave both Lust and Envy a good laugh. "We don't kill people that we need. We need a philosopher's stone, not some scared soldiers with pistols. The only thing you two might be good for would be as parts of the main ingredient."

"And what is that?" Jean inquired.

Envy shot a look to Lust, "I will not tolerate any more of his ignorance. Kill him."

Just a flick of Lust's wrist sent five steel-cold blades extending straight for Havoc. It happened so fast before he could even see them to react.

Jean felt three of the needle-like fingers pierce through his skin and into his body. One sliced through bone deep into his left leg. Another was somewhere to the left side of his navel. The third and most deadly hit him in the left side of his chest, just a hairsbreadth from his heart. The pain was incredible, but even more incredible was the realization that he was going to die. It didn't really scare him; he didn't have time to be scared, but he knew he had to help Riza and complete his duties to Roy.

Lust released her grip on Jean.

"I really wish you could've done that one yourself, Envy."

Jean tried to speak through the blood that was gurgling into his throat. "_Brain_, Riza. Use your gun and... and... save yourself! Save yourself... and Roy," With that he was gone. The effort of speech sapped what little of his reserve strength that remained.

Then it clicked. '_Brain, Riza...'_ The brain controlled all bodily functions. These beings were intelligent; they had a brain. If the brain was unable to communicate with the body, then it would not be able to signal the body to regenerate. If they couldn't regenerate, then perhaps they _could_ die. Now all Riza had to do was sever the body of the homunculi from the mass of neurotransmitters that controlled the body of the homunculi.

She aimed her gun at Lust, whom she deemed more of a threat. Without pausing to consider the plausibility of her plan, she fired all six of her remaining bullets in a straight line across Lust's neck.

Riza closed her eyes, not wanting to see what came next, but she heard the sickening thud of Lust's head as it hit the ground and the louder thunk of Lust's body falling uselessly beside the head.

Envy took a moment to react. Seeing Lust's head roll across the ground to her feet meant nothing to this hardened homunculi. Friendships were a sign of weakness. She had forged no such feelings with Lust or anyone else. Envy depended only upon Envy.

Riza turned her empty gun on Envy hoping that any part of her body language would not reveal that she was out of bullets.

"You're lucky. You are strong, and so you survive. You'll find that tid-bit useful. Only the strong survive in this world. I believe your friend here would be a good testament to that. You're lucky that I don't have Lust's ability. But you'll have to keep a close watch. Next time you see me, it might be as anyone, including," Envy took a pause to shift shapes, "Including your precious _Roy._"

Envy turned her back on Riza and disappeared into the shadows of the streets. "I know you're out of bullets," she whispered to herself.

Riza looked over to Havoc and saw the puddle of blood surrounding his still body and covering his still chest. He was gone. She looked to the right, saw the blood covering a black dress and a hand stretched out with fingers partially extended. It was all too much to take in. Riza fainted.

**((/ A.N.** **This was really hard for me to write. I've never done a scene as violent as this. I left out most of the gore. I'm not a fan of gory action scenes myself. I hope this is the last death scene that I have to write. I'm kind of making this up as I go and based on the reviews that I get, so all input is appreciated. I hope the whole Lust thing wasn't too corny. I tried to think of a weakness that she would have (other than the locket, obviously Riza didn't have that...) I hope I explained myself well enough in the fic for you to understand. /))**


	9. Chapter 9

Riza awoke to the eerie glow of the street lamp. She checked her watch. It had only been a couple of hours since she passed out. She saw Jean's hand stretched out lying on the ground out of the corner of her eye and was reminded that she had to act immediately.

She sat up and forced the world to stop spinning inside her head. It took a minute to get her balance to walk.

Riza approached Jean, and leaned down to touch his face. His skin was cold, confirming that he was indeed dead. She had to clean up this mess before civilians found out and caused even more trouble. But she couldn't depend on the military any more. Someone had infiltrated and taken the side of the homunculi. That would be the only way that they could have known the streets were she and Jean lived. She had to call someone that she could trust no matter what.

Riza ran the rest of the short distance home and rapidly dialed Major Armstrong's private line. She kept her voice calm and asked him to come over and help move some incredibly heavy furniture incase if the line was tapped. The real business would have to be in person.

It only took Armstrong a few minutes to arrive. He had also walked from headquarters and met Riza a block in front of the streetlight.

"You require my assistance, Madam? I shall assist you in any way possible! Believe me, Miss, no piece of furniture is to heavy for an Armstrong," the man's face sparkled as he innocently babbled on.

"Major," Riza interrupted.

"Armstrong family tradition mandates that--, Oh, sorry, you were saying?"

"I've had a bit of a situation. One which does not involve moving heavy furniture. I had to talk to you in person. Follow me."

Riza quietly walked to the place were Jean's and Lust's bodies lay. The sounds of the Major's heavy footfalls behind her were comforting. As the ghastly scene came into view, the two of them slowed down.

"First Lieutenant, what has happened here?" Armstrong asked as he examined the remains of the spectacle before him. "Jean Havoc is dead. As is the woman."

Riza bit back the tears. "Jean and I were attacked by this and another homunculi. The woman killed Jean. With the last of my bullets, I managed to kill her, but the other fled. You have to help me. We have to clear this up without the military knowing what happened."

"Why do you fear the military's involvement? It is not your fault that Jean Havoc is dead. You will not be held accountable."

Riza shook her head. "You don't understand, Sir. I believe that someone in the military sent them after us. I don't have time to explain it all now. I just need to get this cleaned up. I want Jean's body to be respected, but the military cannot know of this. Please trust me."

"I do, and I shall help you."

"Sir, I believe all of us may be in danger; You, me, Breda, Fury, Falman, and even Roy. I believe most of all Roy. Sir, we need to move him to a safe place. He's already been attacked once. Now his subordinates have been attacked. I believe that perhaps he knows something that he shouldn't know." Despite her efforts, a tear slipped down her pallid cheek.

"I agree. I too have noticed some strange things. Come now, we must act quickly."

Riza looked up to Major Armstrong and realized that the sparkles in his eyes had too been replaced by tears.


	10. Chapter 10

Roy didn't want to wake up. He could feel someone gently shaking his shoulder. "I'm asleep," he mumbled. "Can't you see I'm asleep?"

"Sir, you need to wake up. We have to leave, quickly. You are in danger here."

That was Riza. He knew it was her, but he still didn't want to wake up. "Five more minutes?"

"No, Sir."

"Fine," Roy grumbled deciding against his will to become fully conscious. "Just what is you want?" He sat up in his bed.

"Sir, we must leave immediately."

"Just what's so dangerous, Armstrong?"

"Homunculi, Sir."

Roy could tell from his tone that he was as serious as a heart attack, or in his case, a gunshot wound. "Alright. Just give me a second. Were are we going?"

"We'll discuss it when we get there, Sir. As I've said, this place is no longer safe... for any of us."

Roy took the I.V. cord in his hand and hissed as he pulled it out of the vein. Then he slid over to the edge of his bed. Noticing that he was in a hospital gown, he blushed, turning a brilliant shade of red.

"Erm...Armstrong? Could you get me some pants, please? I won't leave without pants. You can't make me."

"Yes, Sir."

Armstrong left on his pants gathering mission while Riza hid her smile behind her hand. Roy mumbled something about the stupid nurse and seeing him naked.

Alex Louis Armstrong returned a couple minutes later with Roy's uniform from the laundry mat.

"Well, at least it fits, and it's clean," Roy moaned stretching muscles that had not been used in a few days to put on his clothes while Riza stood in the hall. "Even if there are holes in the coat and shirt. I suppose Riza can sew them up."

Riza, who of course was eavesdropping, rolled her eyes at such a sexist generalization.

At last Roy had his pants on and was ready to go. Armstrong slung a pack with Roy's guns and some extra bandages and ammo onto his back and they left the hospital and traveled deep into the countryside. All on foot, of course.

It felt to Roy as if they had traveled for days, although it was only an hour and a half by the time they were out of city limits. Riza thought she heard a car traveling behind them in the dark. Sure enough she could just barley make out the outline of a dark vehicle against an even darker sky. The car didn't have its headlights on, a sign that it was stalking someone,... or something.

After that they took to the woods. It wouldn't take more than another hour's travel to get them to the place where they would meet up with Falman, Breada, and Fury.

Luckily Falman's brother still owned the old house were his mother had grown up as a child. Even though it was old and didn't have any electricity or indoor plumbing, it was better than staying in the city exposed.

Night was almost at its darkest point when they finally arrived at the old house. It was so dark that no one could make out any details. They only way they found the house in such utter blackness was by the tiny little candle that Breada had going in one of the front rooms.

Roy smiled at the flickering little flame. He liked fire. Fire was a friend, one that he could control and make to do his every bidding. Seeing fire brought a slight since of relief that at least some things were still normal.

As they stepped in through the rickety front door, Roy could see the faces of his subordinates, Falman, Breada, and Fury in the glow of the candle. He took a moment to gather in his surroundings and eased himself into a chair. He was still weak and very tired. It took him a moment to notice that one of his subordinates was missing.

"Were's Havoc?"

Riza hung her head and proceeded to tell Roy the bad news.


	11. Chapter 11

The news didn't settle on Roy's mind immediately. Roy had known a lot of dead people. He knew it would take days for the full realization to set in.

To the others it looked as if he wasn't reacting at all. He sat there staring into space as Riza told her account of what had happened, and so he had lost another friend. Roy was starting to believe that perhaps some sort of curse was placed on him, and that slowly one by one all of his friends would be killed by these homunculi.

After Riza was finished everyone sat silently out of respect for Jean. Each thought of their own unique relationship with the man, until finally Fury couldn't take the silence of depression anymore.

"Lets play cards or something. Jean wouldn't want us to be too depressed about him."

"True," Breada added. "And for his honor, let's all take a smoke, since we don't have any liquor to make a toast."

"I refuse to smoke," Riza smirked, "but you go ahead."

So the men all had Roy light them a cigarette and they played cards. Riza was more than content to stay in the corner of the room farther away from the disgusting fumes.

About an hour after their arrival, Roy announced that he was going to bed, and that the rest of them would be wise to do the same. As Roy was taking his coat off to make a blanket to lie on, he heard a noise outside the house. Riza turned her head in the same direction.

"What was that, Sir?"

"I'm not sure. It sounded like a car backfire. I'll go check it out. Perhaps it just some bobcat's growl. I'll be back in a minute."

Roy carefully made his way down the unsteady stairs and to the back of the house. He didn't notice anything unusual. As he turned to go back, he tripped over a tree root near the side of the house, and stretched his arms out in front of him to catch himself. He felt the stitches pull tight across his skin. He could feel some of them rip. White hot pain rushed from his chest. He gritted his teeth and groaned. Standing himself up he started to feel very light headed. He didn't know why. He hadn't hit his head. He took a step forward, this time stepping over the root and lurched sideways, his shoulder grazing the house.

Why couldn't he walk straight? He wasn't drunk! Why did the world seem to spin? "Riza," he yelled for his most trusted companion, but voice didn't seem to want to work properly, and his yell came out as a whisper. "Riza!"

Roy felt as if he were in one of those dreams where you tried to run from danger, but your legs wouldn't take you anywhere. You tried to scream for help, but no one was there to hear you. He hated those kinds of dreams. He hated feeling helpless. He refused to give in.

Steadying himself with the help of the wall, he took another step forward before everything around him went pitch black, blacker than the night sky around him, and his consciousness fell into oblivion, just like in one of those hated dreams.


	12. Chapter 12

Riza felt a twinge deep in her gut that told her something was wrong. Roy had only been gone about ten minutes, but she knew that she had to go outside. Something was wrong.

Silently she stepped out the door and into the night. "Sir," she called. "Sir, where are you?"

She didn't hear an answer, nor did she seem him. Rounding the corner of the house, she almost stepped on Roy before she saw him lying face down in the grass.

"SIR!"

She groped around in her pocket for a light. "Sir, are you alright? Can you hear me?"

She bent down to get closer to him. Roy didn't answer. He was unconscious. She knew she had to get him inside. Kneeling beside him, she draped his body over her back. Swaying slightly to get up, she managed to balance Roy's dead weight.

When she made it back in the door everyone stopped what they were doing and stared. Roy had been just fine seconds ago. So what had happened to him now?

As carefully as she could, Riza lay Roy down on the floor. Falman came over to help.

"It looks like he just passed out from the shock of the morphine leaving his system," Falman concluded.

"No," Lt. Fury argued. "I'm no medical scholar, but lack of morphine wouldn't just make him faint cold."

"True," Breada agreed.

Riza started to notice a small wet discolored spot on Roy's dark shirt. Great, he had torn some of the stitches open.

They resewed his wounds and rebandaged his chest. Riza was worried about if any of this had any effect on Roy's previously collapsed lung, but she couldn't de anything to help that. They did all they could and one by one they fell asleep. Except for Riza. She stayed up all night long and watched him, afraid that at any moment, she could loose him. She monitored the slight rise and fall in his chest and wondered what had caused this as the hours ticked on by.

At dawn, Lt. Fury was the first to wake up. "I'm hungry," he wailed.

Breada sat up and agreed.

Falman also awoke, but stayed in a groggy state of half sleep for several minutes.

Again Lt. Fury complained. "I'm hungry."

Riza who was too tired and cranky to do anything about this snapped back, "Then fix yourself something to eat. I'm not your maid servant, fix yourself your own food."

She turned her attention back to Roy who mumbled something and tried to sit up.

Noticing the pain in his chest, yet once again, he gave up and lay back down.

"What happened?"

"You fainted, Sir," Falman offered by way of explanation.

"I did not faint."

"Yes you did. We all saw you passed out."

"Yes, I passed out. I didn't faint."

"So, again, what happened?" His voice rattled in his chest and it hurt a little to breathe in deeply.

"I believe, Sir," Riza stated, "that you have been slipped poison of some kind."

Roy's eyes widened. "While I was in the hospital?"

"Yes."

"But who would do such a thing," Breada asked.

"I believe I know who..." Riza finished with another sinking feeling in her stomach.


	13. Chapter 13

"So those homuncu-thing-a-ma-jiggets have tried to kill you twice now, Sir?" Breada asked trying to make the point clear.

"It would appear so," Roy answered. "If you don't mind, I'd like to go to back to sleep now."

He was asleep most of the day. Riza too lay down and slept until round lunch were she finally decided that she was hungry.

They all stayed in that little house for about a week. It was the longest week in Riza's life. Being stuck with four men really made her wish that she would have brought her dog. She missed Black Hayate, but at least he was in good company with the neighbors. Besides, Breada hated dogs, Jean would have stir fried,...oh. Riza stopped thinking on the subject.

There was a creek out in the back, which Riza used to bathe. She went far enough from the house to not be peeped upon, but she didn't really care all that much. The water was extremely cold. She tried to get the men to take a bath too, but only Roy could take the cold water. Besides, he said, it made him feel better. She and Roy started keeping a considerable distance away from Breada, Fury, and Falman.

One day Riza got tired of the stench and pulled her gun. "Go take a bath now boys,"

"Aww... but it's cold," Breada protested.

Riza wrapped her ringer tighter around the trigger. "Go take one now, or you'll regret it."

All three men ran out of the house and towards the creek.

From the chair he was sitting in, Roy looked across to Riza.

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it, Sir. It was as much a favor to myself."

Riza pulled a chair up caddy-cornered to where the Colonel was sitting and turned to face him. "How are you feeling, Sir?"

"Better. It still hurts, but I don't think I need the bandages any more."

"I'm sorry we had to take you from the hospital, Sir."

He smiled at her, "Well, better here stuck with subordinates, than dead in the morgue."

"True," she smiled back. She knew she had made the right decision.

Roy nodded to himself. "I have something I need to say."

"Sir?"

"I don't say this often, so you should take it as a real compliment. You've saved my life twice now. Thank you."

For some reason, she couldn't bring her eyes to meet his. "You're welcome, Sir."


	14. Chapter 14

On about their twelfth day in the rickety shack, Roy noticed that the food supplies they had carried with them were begging to run low. They needed to leave. They couldn't hide forever. Somehow it just didn't feel right. Each day he was feeling stronger, and as more health and energy returned to him. Of course he would always carry scars on his chest to remind him, but he was starting to almost be over the gunshot wounds. The ill effects of the poison had long since worn off. He himself still didn't know how he had survived everything.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye, our supplies are running low. We need a plan." Roy spoke his thoughts aloud to his subordinates as he took a seat at the one table in the house (they had propped up two legs with bricks). They all gathered in mismatched chairs as Breada started to deal out a hand of poker. Normally, Riza would not have joined in, but this was all they had to pass the time. Thank goodness Breada had brought that deck of cards.

"Just what is your idea, Sir. I know you have one, or you wouldn't have asked."

"Well, first off, I was wanting to know if there was anyone else that you all thought trustworthy, someone who would be on our side, and never reveal any information to the rest of the military or the homunculi, someone true to their word." Roy looked at his hand of cards. It was an all right deal. With a good poker face, and some luck, he could make it win.

Fury lowered his cards and placed a peanut on the table. "I'll raise you one." They had taken to using peanuts as their betting chips.

"What about Chezka? She can remember just about anything she's ever read in her entire life, and she worked for Hughes."

Roy coughed.

"Yes, Sir," Riza spoke as she raised the bet, "I do believe her trustworthy, even if she is very curious.

Armstrong glanced at Roy. "Would you like me to contact her, Sir?"

"Yes, thank you."

"I fold," Falman sighed. His food was too precious to gamble away.

"What about the Elric brothers?"

"No, Fury. They're already fighting their own battles against the homunculi; they don't need the military on their backs too. Besides, I don't know where they are at the moment. I have no way to get in touch with him.

Breada too folded.

"Sir, what about Maria Ross, and that guy who follows her around all the time?" Falman asked tentatively.

"He has a name you know," Riza muttered.

"Yes, erm... Sargent Denny Brosh." Armstrong helped out.

Thankful that at least one person remembered the Sargent's name, Roy nodded his agreement.

Fury looked to his right and saw that he was out of peanuts. "I fold," he moaned. Now he was completely out of betting chips with no way to get any back.

"Would you like me to contact them as well?" Armstrong asked.

"Yes. Contact anyone you think might be remotely useful."

"You still haven't told us your plan, Sir," Riza pointed out. "And I fold."

Armstrong and Mustang glared daggers at each other. The pot was between them, winner take all.

"Well," Roy began while Armstrong raised the bet even higher, "I believe we should make the first offensive move, personally. That way we can choose the place, the time, and have several key advantages. Waiting around here in hiding is cowardice. It will only take us by surprise if they find us and attack us here." Roy placed three peanuts on the pile before continuing. "We should take the time to set up some sort of back up defense though. And who knows, one factor could change anything. No plan should be set in stone. However, if we do make an offensive move, and for some reason, I should be taken down, Armstrong and Hawkeye will be in command. The rest of you will do what they order."

Armstrong hung his head. " I fold."

Roy smirked to his opponent before laying down his hand. His top cards were a pair of twos.

Armstrong's eyes widened along with every one else's.

"I lost to a man with twos?" Breada cried. "How did I not notice?"

Riza smiled. "It's called the poker face, a bluff."

"Yes," Roy agreed. "And you will all need to learn it and learn to fool everyone for our plan to succeed.

"And just what is the goal for this plan, Sir?" Falman asked.

"I don't know, but if the military's against us, I'm just satisfied with getting them to leave us alone. I'd have to be a fool to take on the entire military."

"Just why is the military against all of us anyway. What did I ever do to them, or rather what did you do to them."

"Col. Mustang did no such –" Riza started to take the defensive.

"It's fine, Hawkeye. There are two reasons I believe. I believe that Hughes knew too much about the homunculi. He knew of their connection and influence in the military. Now I too know of this. As my subordinates, this too puts you in danger."

"Well," Fury probed. "If we're already in danger, then just what is it that you found out. Are the homunculi and the military interrelated?"

"_Juliet Douglas_."

"The fürhür's secretary?" Riza breathed, unable to believe.

"The very same, and perhaps others."

Breada made the sign of the cross, "Gottinhimmel,"

_If only Roy knew that there was another homunculi agent... If only he knew who that man was..._

((/ A.N.: I hope I got my German spelled correctly. If not, then there is just one t. I never can remember... sighs I am missing Lust right now. Of all of the homunculi, I had to kill my favourite... Guess I'll just do without...\))


	15. Chapter 15

Fürhür Bradley leaned back in his chair. He liked his office well enough. It was quaint, and his chair was sufficiently comfortable. He leafed through a stack of annoying paperwork that he would make someone else suffer through later. It wasn't his job to decide on the lunch room meals for the subordinates. Someone else could do that.

The telephone rang and Juliet Douglas answered, "Fürhür Bradley's office," There was a slight pause. "Yes, Ma'am. Right away." She turned around in her chair and laid her end of the phone down on the table. Walking over to Bradley, she whispered, "A phone call for you, Sir. It's Dante. I don't think she's pleased."

Bradley just smiled as he picked up the phone and Juliet hung up her end. "Hello, this is the Fürhür speaking,...erm...I see...Today?...Very well."

"So what was that all about?" Juliet inquired.

"Dante just said that we should speed things up a little bit, is all. She doesn't think they'll stay out there hiding forever. Besides," he added removing his eye patch, "It doesn't matter where they hide if you can see them when you get close enough..." He stood up, "I think I'll go for a little car ride out of the city today..."

**((/ A.N: Sorry, short chapter, I know! I'll get the next one longer. Believe me./))**


	16. Chapter 16

Armstrong somehow managed to contact the people on their list. Everyone agreed to help, and were just as baffled about the entire scandal as Roy's subordinates were.

Roy had started to wear his gloves everywhere. He even ate and slept with them on. Armstrong too kept his iron knuckle guards with him at all times. Unlike the incident with Envy/Hughes, Roy wanted to be prepared for anything. They all took every precaution to keep on their guard.

Riza and Falman had worked together to get all of the ammo distributed evenly among everyone, and to get what little else there was packed up and stowed away. They were all on edge and ready to move at a moment's notice.

Something was bothering Roy, and Riza could see it. Being in command was a burdensome task, but Roy had always bore the burden well.

"Sir, is there anything wrong?"

Roy's eyes were dull from lack of sleep. He knew that the events of the next couple of days would probably kill him, and maybe take the lives of his subordinates as well. There was just no way to win a battle against the military. Not to mention that this pretty much destroyed his life's dream of rising to a position were he didn't have to take orders. If he opposed the military like this, he would loose his rank, be kicked out of the military and loose all hope of ever becoming Fürhür. He sighed, "No Riza. There's nothing wrong that you don't already know about."

"Yes, Sir." He had called her Riza... What did that mean? He had never called her by her first name before. He had always addressed her by either her last name, or simply her rank.

Now all they waited on was the signal from Ross that all was clear and that they could move in closer to the city.

They all shuffled around nervously. They expected Ross to call to the house near dark. (Armstrong had found the old telephone line and miraculously managed to repair it and bring it back on line.) It would take some effort for Maria to get a call through to them though. She would have to go underground at HQ, and into their telephone lines control station. (Luckily Chezka knew how to get in...) Then she would have to reconnect the line to the Old Falaman House that had been disconnected for years. Obviously it would take a little bit of work and ingenuity, so they knew it could possibly take hours.

Everyone was nervous and antsy. Fury tried to calm his nerves by dosing in a chair, but all he managed to do was to fall asleep for a few seconds at a time before being aroused by his nerves. Falaman paced back and forth. Breada bit at his fingernails. Armstrong patiently watched the phone while twiddling his thumbs.

"Sir," Riza questioned

"Yes."

"We have everything packed up, the ammo distributed. I just wanted you to know that we will all follow you no matter the consequences. You aren't pushing us to do anything, so don't take a guilt trip."

Roy lips made a slight smile. That was just what he needed to hear. "Thank y-"

There was a knock at the door, interrupting Roy.

Everyone stood up. Everyone drew his or her weapons. Roy moved to answer the knock, and Riza moved behind him, her gun at the ready, finger on the trigger.

Roy's palms felt sweatier than they ever had against the cold metal of the antique door handle. His muscles didn't want to open the door. His brain screamed in protest, but he made himself open the door anyway.

Just on the other side of the doorframe, perched on the rickety stairs stood the Fürhür, only this time there was no customary smile on his face.

"Hello, I see I've finally found you," he taunted as he stepped inside.


	17. Chapter 17

"Fürhür, Sir!" Roy snapped to attention. He didn't want things to go bad before they had too. Riza understood and immediately followed his lead by lowering her gun, but keeping her finger on the trigger just incase.

"So this is were you've been hiding? A bit shabby, eh?" He chuckled as he strolled inside. Roy noticed, as did everyone else that the Fürhür was not wearing his eye patch. No one spoke. No one knew what to say, not even Roy.

Bradley turned his head towards Mustang, his ruined eye seemed to stare intently at him, although Roy knew it had lost all of its sight. It was a ghostly reminder of all that the Fürhür had survived. "Mustang," he growled. Riza's gun instantly flew up behind Bradley, some two or three yards away. "Did you really think you could hide from us here?"

Roy gritted his teeth. So much for negotiating his way out of this one. If looks could kill, Roy would dead a hundred times over.

"Sir?"

"Come off it, Mustang. Surely by now, you've figured it out. You know too much Roy. I can't risk exposure."

"What are you playing at?" Roy's hand prepared to snap.

"You're in a wooden house," Bradley warned. "Surely you've figured it all out my now. I'm a homunculus, and the only thing we're after is the stone. People like you just get in the way."

Riza put her finger on her trigger, as did the rest of them.

"It takes more than bullets to kill a homunculi," the Fürhür teased.

"So you would kill thousands of innocent people for your own pleasure?" Roy growled. His hand went up as he snapped, creating a spark, and willed it to grow stronger, to annihilate the treasonous Fürhür.

Bradley was already way ahead of the game. He jumped to the side, narrowly missing Roy's flame-thrower. The fire instead hit a wall, igniting the side of the house.

Bradley drew his sword. "This isn't just for me. My creator needs the stone as well."

"Creator?" Roy whispered.

"With my sword," Bradley taunted, "I can change the composition of the air around me. If you don't know how the air is composed, you can't make it explode. I have to keep you guessing.

Roy snapped again, feeling the intense heat around him. This time he was on target. He could smell Bradley's flesh incinerate in front of him. Where the Fürhür had been standing was now only a column of burning flesh. Finally, it was over.

"Ha ha ha ha!" A laugh rose maniacally from the fire. A charred and blacked Bradley stepped out of the flames. "I dare say that tickles, Mustang." The fire-eaten flesh reformed itself and looked completely whole.

Bradley lunged at Roy. Riza went to jump in front of him.

"Get out of here!" Roy shouted to her. "All of you! His own flesh is his weakness! According to Ed, homunculi are weakened by the remains of those whom someone tried to bring back!"

The sword grazed Roy's side. He felt the sting, and could feel the trickle of blood ooze down his side.

"GET OUT!"

Riza knew what to do. Somehow she had to get the Fürhür's remains. It sounded simple, but surely they'd be guarded. She didn't have much time to care though, she had to get them, no matter what the cost.

Roy heard the cracking of wooden timbers above him. The roof was on fire and fixing to colapse. He had to get out of the house.

Bradley came at Roy again. Roy jumped backwards, throwing all of his weight at the wall, which easily gave way.

He rolled over several times before coming to a stop. He had just enough time to stand up before the Fürhür was back in front of him.

Roy snapped again. Nothing happened. He tried again, rethinking the composure of the air around him.

Again he hit the Fürhür. Again the Fürhür seemed unaffected.

This was going to be difficult. Roy doubted that he would escape with his life. But at least he had bought the others a little time. He only prayed that Riza and the others could find Bradley's remains and get them to him before it was too late.

**((\: A/N: I am sooo sorry it took me this long to update. I had to finish the end of the series, and then I rewrote this chapter four times. I promise the next update will come sooner. /))**


	18. Chapter 18

Riza ran the entire way into the city with Falman, Armstrong, Breada, and Fury close at her heels. It seemed like forever for her to even make it into Central and then another forever to get to the Fürhür's mansion. There were soldiers all throughout the city. Riza didn't worry about stealth. She was on a mission. She had to get to the Fürhür's mansion. Roy depended on it, and she would do anything for Roy.

They spun around a street corner as the mansion came into view. Guards were everywhere.

"Halt!" One of them screeched at her.

They all ignored him. All around soldiers cocked their guns, but the five of them kept on running. Soldiers surrounded them and they were forced to stop.

"We don't have time," Riza growled.

"Stop right there! The Fürhür has placed an order for your arrests."

Armstrong took a swing at the man and he fell to the ground. "The Fürhür lies. He's not even human."

"Ridiculous!" yelled some of the soldiers.

"It's true!" Breada yelled back. "I've heard it from his own mouth. HE'S A HOMUNCULUS!"

A fiasco broke out between those loyal to Roy, and those loyal to the Fürhür. Riza used the chaos around her to sneak away and closer to the mansion. The majority of the guards had left to see what the ruckus was about, and she quickly removed the few who were left.

She shot the lock of the gate off of the chain, breaking it in too. Like all large mansions, she figured this one would have a graveyard in the back.

She ran around unnoticed to the backside of the large house. Sure enough there was a graveyard. She searched the tombstones for an unmarked grave. Fürhür Bradley wouldn't mark his own grave.

Riza froze. She had heard someone. The voice was male, young, and not very far away. Then, remembering that the Fürhür had a young son, she straightened herself back up. Perhaps, in a round about way, this boy might know where his father's weakness was.

She didn't have much time before the other soldiers and guards noticed that she had slipped away. Carefully she approached the sound of the little boy's voice.

She could see him. He was sitting with his back to her playing with some toy cars. She stopped at length before politely calling out to him, "Hello?"

He dark headed little boy turned around. "Hello. Who are you?"

"I'm Maria Ross," Riza smiled, using the first name that came to mind. She was too afraid to use her own.

"Did you come to play with me?"

"No, I didn't. I'm sorry. You're Fürhür Bradley's son aren't you?"

"Uh huh!" The boy nodded his head proudly.

"Good," Riza changed her tone to that of relief. "Listen, uh, your father sent me."

"What does he need?"

"He told me to come get the secret." Riza hoped to God that this made some sense to the little boy. "He needs it now. It's urgent."

"The secret? The one in the safe?"

"Yes, and he needs it now. It's urgent! His life is in danger!"

The boy turned and started running toward the house. Suddenly he stopped. "Wait? How do I know you're not lying?" The little boy asked.

Riza's eyes widened. How was she going to lie her way out of this one? If she failed, they could all die. "Fürhür Bradley wouldn't have sent me for it if he didn't need it and couldn't come get it himself. Trust me! The Fürhür is in great danger! The traitorous general, Mustang, is attacking him as we speak. He needs the secret! His life depends on it!" Riza grew frantic.

Apparently the little boy had heard of Mustang, and took off like a shot towards the house.

"Wait here!" he yelled back to her.

"I just hope this works," Riza whispered to herself while running a hand across her now disheveled hair in worry.

About two minutes later the little boy came back holding a bundle tied up in a cloth sack. "Here you go!" He threw it at her. "You have to save him!" The child spoke through tears. "You have to save him!"

Riza almost broke at the sight of the poor child. She didn't want to have to make him loose his father, but she had too. She had to for Roy! She couldn't give up now! "I will save him," she answered with finality, thinking of Roy. "I will save him. Thank you."

Riza ran away from the boy as he shouted for her to save his daddy. Tears stung at her eyes as she ran back towards the house out in the woods. She passed a taxi cab driver in an old car near the edge of town. She hopped in the vehicle.

"The old Falman House, in the country!" she shouted to the driver. "Step on it!"

Riza was thankful that the driver didn't ask any questions. She felt horrible for leaving the others behind, but she didn't have any time to go back for them. She knew they understood, but she still felt horrible. And now, she had to go kill that little boy's father.

She shook her head. She couldn't think of that man as a loving father. She knew he couldn't be because he was almost never home. She had to keep thinking of him as the man that wanted Roy dead. She had to save Roy, and if that meant going against everything the military had ever taught her, and breaking all of the laws in the book, than so be it. She would do anything to save Roy.

**((: A.N.: Hey! Thanks for the reviews. Yeh, uh, sorry about the Envy thing. I hadn't finished the series at the time... My apologies. When I'm finished I'll go back and correct that... Well, thanks for the support:/))**


	19. Chapter 19

Roy was growing desperate now. He had no means by which to defeat the Fürhür. His alchemy couldn't kill him, nor would bullets, or sheer will alone.

The Fürhür was at one with his sword. His movements were liquid, fluidlike, and graceful on a level that Roy had never before seen. The wound on his side stung. He was sure that wasn't going to be the worst that befell him.

"Having fun yet?" The Fürhür taunted.

Roy gritted his teeth and growled in reply while successfully dodging another sword attack. His hair was plastered to his forehead with sweat, but he didn't dare take the half-second to think about brushing it back.

The Fürhür arced his sword in another graceful crescent moon attack. Roy had to jump backwards to avoid getting sliced in half. When he landed he almost lost his balance. He snapped again and nothing happened.

Whispering curse words under his breath, Roy tried again, igniting the Fürhür in yet another orange and red column of flames. Each time Roy incinerated Bradley, the smell was nauseating, atrocious, and there could be no doubt as to whether or not the source of that scent was dead. But somehow, every time, Fürhür Bradley walked out of the flames untouched, not even his clothes burnt. Wreathing the Fürhür in flames only barely slowed him down.

Roy felt the flat of the sword slap him across the back, knocking the wind out of him. When had Bradley gotten behind him? He only barely managed to turn around and see a silver blade cascading towards his head.

He jumped to the side, but short of breath, wasn't able to make it far enough to avoid the blow completely.

Flesh was sliced cleanly in two as Roy screamed out in pain and agony. He felt bone crack under the impact. Although the pain in his right shoulder made him feel like it was the end for him, it wasn't. The overhead swing had barely had enough power to break his collarbone.

Moaning, he refused to cry. Using his left hand he tried to snap again while walking backwards.

Fire erupted again, only slowing Bradley down slowly. Roy used the three second advantage to put more time in between himself and the Fürhür.

Roy's cheek flared in more pain. He hadn't even seen the sword coming at him again!

In frustration he snapped, again and again, so hard that it hurt his fingers, but he continued to snap.

Fire shot up again and again from the Fürhür before Roy sank to his knees, exhausted.

"Riza," he whispered frantically. "Riza, help."

**((/ A.N: Thanks for the reviews. Every time you review helps me decide where to take this next. We're getting nearer to the end here folks! I've got it all in my head, now I just have to find time to type it all out... You'll find out why the title is what it is in probably the last chapter. Sequel? I don't know. It's not out of the question. Just let me finish this one first, okay/:)) **


	20. Chapter 20

Riza practically flew out of the door of the cab. She had to get whatever was in this bad to Roy. She knew it was remains, but she didn't want to look at it herself.

The house was still on fire, almost entirely consumed. It reminded Riza of how Roy's time was almost up, if it wasn't already.

Glad for the swiftness her military uniform and boots gave her, she ran across the dirt, around the burning house, and to the back, where she heard the Fürhür's crackling laughter.

Roy came into sight first. He was a bloody crumpled heap kneeling on the ground, hand raised halfheartedly in the air, a last desperate attempt to slow down the Fürhür.

At the sight of a dying Roy, Riza almost slowed to a halt. Instead she continued at an even more frenzied pace. The Fürhür was mocking Roy, making use of his overwhelming pride, for which he was named.

"ROY!" Riza shouted, using her commander's first name. "ROY!"

The Fürhür froze, not expecting to see anyone foolish enough to come back to the doomed man's side.

Roy gladly took the opportunity.

As the Fürhür once again went up in flames, Riza skirted to Roy's side, shucked the bag off of the skull, and placed it in Roy's limp, right hand.

Roy didn't have time to voice his wonderment of just how Riza had managed to get the remains.

Bradley's customary smile had faded. His eye glared at the two military personnel before him. His other eye, homunculus sign visible, honed in on the skull in Roy's hand. He raised his sword over his head and lunged towards the skull.

"ROY!" Riza yelled once more, in the middle of it all.

Roy didn't have to be told what to do. Drawing from his reserve strength, he slid thumb and finger together to ignite the Fürhür one final time, then grabbed the skull and tossed it into the flaming pillar of Fürhür Bradley.

A faint smile crossed Roy's lips as he looked to Riza's disheveled face, before he fainted.


	21. Chapter 21

Riza caught her love in her arms before he could collide with the ground. Gently she laid him down as she looked at the ghastly sight before her.

It was over.

Bradley was gone.

Only a puddle of red water stood where he had once been.

She heard sirens in the distance. As she rolled Roy over to access his injuries, she realized that they were getting closer. They were fire engines, heading to extinguish the already reduced to smoldering rubble Falman house. Following behind them was a customary ambulance.

Riza was glad to know medical help was on the way, when she was the bloody gashes on both of Mustang's sides, the slice through his shoulder, and the tear in his cheek. He had been hurt badly. She had almost failed him. He had almost died.

The cab driver ran up to Riza shouting something that she couldn't make out. When he came closer, he shouted again.

"What happened here?"

Choosing not to divulge too much information, she just pointed towards the house while cradling Roy's head in her other hand. "Fire!"

"I see that. What happened to him?"

"Never you mind," she sighed. "Just get the medics over here. He needs help.

The paramedics loaded Roy onto a stretcher and into an ambulance. No questions were asked about how Roy came to be in his current condition. No one asked what two soldiers were doing at the old Falman house, one badly wounded.

Riza was thankful for apathetic attitudes toward the whole situation. Besides, they were supposed to be helping Roy, not asking questions.

Immediately the medics began to stabilize Roy's condition as the ambulance pulled away from the house and towards the hospital.

With any luck, it would be at least an hour before the Fürhür was discovered to be missing and dead. Hopefully it would be at least two before anyone figured out that Roy was the one who had killed him.

Riza took Roy's limp hand in hers, and stroked it, trying to comfort Roy, as well as herself.


	22. Chapter 22

It didn't take long for Riza and Roy to arrive at the hospital. Paramedics were waiting to take Roy into the O.R. and escort Riza to the waiting room.

Riza sat for hours waiting. There was nothing else she could do. She picked up a magazine full of recipes. She was an okay cook, but even that didn't catch her attention. Sighing, she laid it down again.

To anyone who didn't know what had just happened, she would have looked like a vagabond. Her hair was falling out of it's customary bun, with more hair out of the clip than in. Wisps of blonde hung around her face and stuck to her forehead. He uniform was caked with sweat and dirt, along with Roy's blood. She sat with a blank stare on her face, unable to care about her looks; unable to care about anything other than Roy. She was scared, so scared for him that she shook.

He had risked his life for her, several times over, and now, he might die.

She had been through all of this before.

Moments got stuck in her head, playing over and over. They clung to her mind, like gum to a shoe, and refused to leave.

She had killed a little boy's father. Or at least the man he called father. The one who had supplied the skull had been his father. So, she didn't really kill a human, did she? Wasn't a homunculus a fake human? She didn't know. She felt overwhelmingly guilty, nonetheless.

Her mind tried to soak in all that had happened to her, all that had happened to Roy. It couldn't, not at the speed she was trying to make it to. She couldn't handle it.

Remembering her soldier training, she tried to pull over a blank face. Stare into space, and think of nothing, she told herself. That didn't work. No matter how hard to tried to think of nothing, a bleeding, dying Roy came into mind.

Giving herself over to the inevitable tears, she leaned forward in her hard-backed chair and cried into her palms, so that no one could see her face.

She didn't know how long she cried. She cried for Roy. She cried for herself. She cried for Armstrong, Fury, Breada, and Falman, not knowing whether or not they were dead or alive. Just as her thoughts finally turned to them, she felt a rough hand place itself gently on her shoulder.

She didn't want to look up, fearing that it was the doctor, come with only bad news. She pretended to ignore it.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye," the gruff voice whispered.

Biting her lower lip to stop the tears, she looked up.

It took a moment for the massive man's face to focus through the swimming tears. Blonde hair, chiseled face, mustache. Armstrong. Armstrong. Details took forever to register and click together.

"Armstrong?" she whispered.

"The one and only. Who else could have muscles this nice?" His voice didn't change tone with the little joke, and his face didn't change it's visage.

Riza didn't laugh.

"How are you?"

"Roy's in the O.R. They don't know if he'll-"

"I haven't asked about him yet," Armstrong interjected. "I asked about you."

"Me?" She asked in confusion. "I... I don't know. I've been better."

"Now, how's the Lt. Col.?"

"They don't know if he'll, if he'll make it," she choked. "He took a pretty bad beating."

"I'm sure he'll be fine. He's made it through everything else so far," Armstrong comforted, glancing back at Fury, Breada and Falman, who looked just as distraught as Riza. "I'm sure he'll make it through."

Riza nodded slowly, not facing Armstrong, or anyone else. "Yes," she whispered, barely audible. "But will he be the same Roy?"

Armstrong squeezed her shoulder in sympathy.


	23. Chapter 23

The doctor on duty, a man with dark brown hair, a thin mustache, and a long white doctor's jacket walked intently over to the anxious party in the waiting room.

Fury saw him coming and silently alerted the others by turning his head in the direction of the doctor. The others followed his gaze. Riza bit her lip, Fury played with his hands, and Breada inspected his fingers. Falman and Armstrong simply waited.

Soft squeak of the doctor's shoes sounded closer and closer as he walked nearer.

Riza had never been more scared in her life. She knew what might be coming and feared it greatly.

"Miss Hawkeye," the man addressed her in a light tenor voice, "and friends,"

Every single one of them gulped.

"Lt. Col. Mustang has been moved to Room 317. As soon as he is able, he will need to be interviewed by military personnel about the death of the Fürhür. Until then, he will stay here and heal."

Riza almost started crying again in her relief. Abruptly she stood up along with the others.

"You may go see him now, if you want, although he is still unconscious from the surgery, and shall be for a while."

They got up and left, without saying another word to the doctor and started towards Roy's room.

Riza watched Fury as he walked ahead of her. She could have sworn that he was almost skipping. She realized that she wasn't the only one who had been worried out of her mind.

Armstrong gently pushed the door open when they finally came to Room 317.

The amount of bandages on Roy startled her, but she knew he would be all right. Roy could pull through just about anything it seemed.

They all stood and talked to him for a while. One by one they left until only Riza remained.

She sat down on the edge of Roy's bed and turned to where she could better face him. She cupped his bandaged cheek in one hand held his left hand in her other. Gently she stroked his hair. There were no need for words.


	24. Chapter 24

Roy moaned as the effects of the drugs started to wane. His entire body felt like it had been through a meat grater. He decided against opening his eyes. He had no idea where he was at, or if he was even alive. The last thing he remembered was Riza beside him as he fainted, -or died. He wasn't sure which.

The thought of Riza brought a smile to his face. She had called him "Roy." Finally she had used his first name. He had been beginning to wonder if she knew he had a first name... "Roy." He liked the sound of that. Not often that he heard his own name, much less when she said it.

"Roy! Col. Mustang?"

Slowly he risked squinting one eye open. He could see white walls and Riza's face.

'Yup,' he thought. 'I've died. And gone to heaven. What a surprise! I didn't even know whether or not to even believe in God, but I must be in heaven because Riza's here!'

"Col. Mustang, I know you're awake."

"Yeh," his voice came out raspy.

"Then open your eyes," she almost snapped.

"Five more minutes?" He wasn't finished dreaming about her.

"No."

"Two and a half?" He knew he was pushing his luck.

"No."

"One?"

"No. Get up."

Roy opened both his eyes, and then blinked furiously. The light was brighter than he had expected.

"We only have a few minutes before the interrogators arrive."

All of the sudden, he realized that he wasn't in heaven. Riza's disheveled appearance let him know just how frightened for him she was. He couldn't be in heaven. Maes wasn't there.

He felt a pang of sadness, but let it go.

"Interrogators?"

"Yes, investigating the death of the Fürhür."

"Crap," he groaned again.

"Don't worry, I think they're starting to doubt his intentions. They know he was a homunculus."

"Well, that's a start," he whispered.

Seeing her covered in his blood was almost more than he could stand. She had put herself in so much danger for him over the years, and had stood by him loyally all the way. Her unwavering devotion to him almost brought tears to his eyes. But it hurt too much to cry, so he held it in. He wanted to say something to her, but didn't have a clue as to what.

"Thank you."

"For what?" She looked at him, confused at his change in attitude.

"For everything." He started to move his hand up to her unruly hair, but stopped before he even picked it up. Movement of any kind pulled at something that was either badly bruised or broken.

"It was my duty." She parried back.

"It was your _choice_."

She turned her head the other way.

"Riza," he called to her, using her first name in front of her, for the first time in his life.

She looked him in the eye with tears threatening to fall.

"I really don't know," he paused. "How to thank you enough." Again he reached up for her face. Fighting the pain and the shots of agony along his ribs he brushed a finger against her cheek. He tried to, but couldn't hold it there, so he let it come to rest beside him on the bed again.

"Sir?"

"Don't call me that. It makes me feel old."

"Col. Mustang?"

"That makes me feel even older."

"Roy?"

"That's it."

"Don't let them find any reason to take you in."

"I won't." He grinned. "I'll win them over with my charm."

She didn't smile. She was too worried. "Because, if they do,... if they do," she couldn't bring herself to finish.

"I know." He looked up at her, understanding every word she didn't say. "I won't."

Riza heard footsteps in the hallway.

"They're coming."

He smiled up at her and put his hand on her hand, which was resting on the white blanket. "Don't worry about me,"

"I always do."

"Then stop it!"

She leaned down and kissed his forehead.

There was a knock at the door. Quickly, Riza stood up, and Roy moved his hand back to it's normal position beside him on the bed.

The door open as two men in uniform stepped into the room.

"Col. Mustang," the taller of the two addressed. "We would like to ask you some questions."

Riza watched silently.

"Alone," the other spat as he looked straight at her.

"Yes, Sir."

She walked quickly out of the room, biting her lip so she wouldn't say anything. As she shut the door to Room 317, she caught one last glance at Roy. Naturally, his face showed no fear.

**((\: A.N. Well, this one was slightly longer! I'm sorry my chapters are always so short! That's just my style, I guess. Now that it's summer, I should be able to update sooner. I hope so anyway. Well, please review! I need to know what you think:/))**


	25. Chapter 25

Riza sat in the waiting room, once again, and waited. She decided to go home and take a shower and change clothes. There was nothing she could do for Roy at the moment. She knew it would take forever for the two men to get finished questioning him.

The walk home was uneventful. Passing under the streetlamps though, she felt a surge of guilt over Havoc's death. A bunch of 'if only's' kept popping into her head. She tried her best to dismiss them, but couldn't.

When she finally walked up her own front steps and stepped inside her own front door, she didn't feel any better. Black Hayate ran from the living room to come great her, his tail wagging back and forth, back and forth at his pleasure to see her.

"Hey, pal."

He yipped at her and nudged against her ankles, begging her to pick him up.

"Not now," she sighed. "It's bath time for Riza."

Black Hayate began sniffing her boots and pants legs. He seemed to wrinkle his nose in agreement.

She went up stairs to her room and bathroom. She took a quick shower and walked to her closet. Without looking, she grabbed the first thing on the hangers; a pair of simple blue jeans and a green tank top. She combed out her hair and instead of the normal bun, she pulled it back into a ponytail, leaving her bangs loose in front. Quickly, she washed off her army boots, and put them back on. Following her customary routine, she slid a knife into her right boot... just in case.

Although recent events had advised her better, she left her gun on the dresser. She didn't want to be a part of any more killing or violence.

Walking slowly down stairs, she saw Black Hayate waiting for her on the couch.

"Get off of that!" She scolded him.

He bounced down and trotted back over to him. Again he sniffed all around her ankles. Then he looked back up at her and smiled.

She bent down closer to him and scratched under his chin.

"Why is it that you always seem to know exactly what I'm thinking?"

He just stared at her.

Riza sighed and went back over to the front door.

Black Hayate whined in protest.

"It's okay, boy," She whispered to him. "I have to go back now. I have to go back to be there for Roy."

The little dog lay down on the carpet and put his nose between his paws.

"I'll see you later. Don't worry."

He let out one last little whimper as she slipped out of the front door.


	26. Chapter 26

Roy grinned pleasantly up at the two soldiers standing a few feet away from the side of his bed.

"We have some questions for you," the taller man spoke in a gruff baritone voice. "My name is Brigadier General van Hienlick. This is Colonel Mitchells, she stated as he pointed the blonde man beside him.

Colonel Mitchells stood with his hands clasped in front of him. "We would like you to tell us about the death of the Fürhür."

Roy started to open his mouth to speak, closed it and tried again. "I don't have a lawyer present," he tested.

"You are not on trial," van Heinlick snapped.

"I am your lawyer," Colonel Mitchells informed. "I have a degree in law. I will serve as your lawyer."

"Well, that works." Colonel Mustang concluded. He told them everything that had happened which was connected to the death of the Fürhür, omitting only the parts that concerned himself and Riza.

"Who did you send after the Fürhür's remains?" van Hienick questioned.

"All of the subordinates with me."

"Did Fürhür Bradley attack you first?"

"As I have already stated, yes."

"Then it's clearly self defense, Sir," Mitchells concluded.

Brigadier General van Hienlick glared at Roy. "We will be back for more questioning later.

Roy lay back down on his pillows and sighed deeply as the two exited the room. This would be a long process, he knew it. Just as he started to drift off to sleep, Roy heard another knock at the door.

Slowly it opened to admit Riza inside.

"How did it go?" she asked with concern evident in her voice.

"Alright," Roy concluded. "The blonde one is on my side, and, well,... I don't believe the other one is."

She came over and sat on the edge of the bed. "What all did they ask?"

"They just wanted to know what happened. They asked a couple of more questions just to verify my story."

"What did you tell them?"

"The truth." He put it simply. "Well,... I left out a little bit," he smiled at her.

She grinned back at him. "Like what?"

"How many times you had to save my butt."

She laughed at him. "That's my job," she chided.

"That's your _choice._ I honestly don't know how you've put up with me this long."

"Well, it wasn't easy. It's a good thing I get paid to do it."

Roy smiled to himself and thought a moment. Riza gave him time. She herself let her thoughts wander.

"About when I woke up," he started.

"Huh?"

"There was something I wanted to say." Their eyes locked. Riza recognized an emotion gleaming in those obsidian orbs that she had never noticed there before. "I care for you," he started. "More than I'm supposed to care for anyone. I'd go through it all again just to keep you safe."

She put her hand to her lips, surprised that she was finally hearing him admit how he felt. She wanted to say something, but had no idea what to say.

He took her hand and brought it to his lips. "I'm yours to command soldier, if you'll have me."

Tears of joy streamed down her face. She wanted to lay down with him, and snuggle next to him, but that would only hurt him. She ran her fingers down the side of his cheek and neck as she vigorously nodded her yes.

"So, I guess that's a date?" he questioned.

"After all you've put me through, you at least owe me that," she whispered.

"Then you have it. It may take me a while to be able to go with you anywhere though. If you don't mind waiting."

"I don't."

"Good. Then you'll wait for me to get out of here?"

"Most definitely."


	27. Chapter 27

Over the next few days, Roy's condition continued to improve. He had lost track of how many times van Hienlick and Mitchells had come in to question him. They always allowed him to speak freely, so he did. He didn't lie, and he didn't hide much.

Roy was tired of the hospital and everything in it. He was ready to go home. Sometimes he felt like the all of the whitewashed walls were closing in on him, and wouldn't let him leave until the military gave him clearance.

Riza, of course, came every day. They decided it would be better if she didn't stay the entire time Roy was in the hospital. He would most likely be there for a while. But Riza still came for a couple of hours every day to check up on Roy. Once, she even managed to smuggle Black Hayate in by hiding him in an over-large tote bag. He ran around the floor of Roy's room while Roy and Riza sat on the bed and talked.

Black Hayate noticed Roy lean forward, closer to Riza. Riza turned closer to him. He started to growl.

Roy placed a hand under Riza's chin and turned her face up to see his. Softly, he kissed her, and she kissed him back.

Black Hayate let out a frenzy of high-pitched barks.

Startled, Roy frantically whispered for the fuzz ball to shut up.

Finally Riza managed to calm the little dog down and shoved him roughly in her tote bag just as a nurse walked in.

"What on earth was all that racket, Colonel?"

"What racket?" Roy did his best to play dumb.

"You know what I'm talking about! That sounded like a dog! We don't allow animals in our hospice, Colonel!"

"Dog?" Roy looked puzzled. "Why, I don't even like dogs. They pee all over everything and just get in the way.

Riza tried not to smile. She knew Roy loved dogs.

"Then if it wasn't a dog, what made all the fuss?"

"Oh, that?" Roy questioned. "That was just me trying to cough up some phlegm. Nasty stuff." He squinted his eyes shut and shook his head. "Ugh..."

The nurse, obviously fed up with Roy's antics left the room in a huff.

"So much for extra desert," Roy half-whined. "You'd better get half-pint home before his virgin alarm goes off again."

Riza blushed – a very rare sight.

Roy smiled. "Don't worry about it. It was actually quite funny.

Black Hayate's nose poked its way out of the tote.

"Yes," Riza smiled a bit. "Mitchells and van Hienlick should be here soon. They best not catch me in here. They may think we've been up to something."

Riza turned to leave. As she pulled on the door handle, Roy spoke.

"I love you."

He had never said that to any other woman but Riza. He smiled at finding how easy those simple words with such a complicated meaning were to say to her.

"I... I love you too."

As Riza walked down the lobby on her way out, she caught a glimpse of the two military officers on their way to Roy's room.

When would this ever be over? Would they ever allow Roy to return to his normal life? Or worse, what would happen if they found him guilty?


	28. Chapter 28

Knuckles rapped against Col. Mustang's door.

"Come in," he answered them almost cheerily.

General van Hienlick and Colonel Mitchells stepped into his room for what must have been the one-hundredth time.

Roy hid a sigh as the two approached his bed.

"Have a seat, gentlemen," Roy gestured towards the chairs in his hospital room.

These two men never sat down. They preferred to stand. In General van Hienlick's mind it forced the inferior to look up to him.

Mustang understood why the General refused to sit down and stood up himself, so he could look the General in the eye.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" The General half growled at him.

Roy shrugged his shoulders. "I've got to make use of these legs somehow, officer."

The general frowned. This man's impudence was getting on his last nerve.

The general stared at Roy. Roy stared back just as hard.

"Well, um, we have come to deliver the council's verdict," Mitchells interjected.

"Oh, what did they say?" Roy asked him without taking his eyes off of the general only inches away from him.

"After presenting all of our evidence, and taped recordings of your answers, the council has found you-,"

"Not guilty," van Hienlick snapped, almost spitting in Roy's face.

"Yes," Mitchells continued. "They ruled on self defense, and that you were acting in the best interest of the peoples of the state. You will be allowed to keep your rank, you will not be court-martialed, and you will start work again as soon as the hospital gives you clearance to leave."

"But just because the council that replaced the Fürhür finds you not guilty of treason, doesn't mean that everyone agrees with them, Mustang. One little slip up, and those loyal to Bradley would find no excuse not to slit your throat."

Van Hienlick saluted roughly and strutted out of the room, Colonel Mitchells following slightly behind.

Roy saluted as well, and as soon as the two were gone, let out a deep sigh of relief.

**((: A.N. Well, I've decided on thirty chapters for this. Updates will continue to be quick, I promise. That means, only two more chapters to go! I'm so excited. If you have any suggestions for a sequel, then feel free to leave them in reviews! Please review, people, it means a lot to me. Plus, if I'm going to make a sequel, I'm going to need some really good plot ideas:/))**


	29. Chapter 29

Roy was out of the hospital soon after. It was almost a shock to get to go to his home and have very little to worry about. He walked through the rooms of his house, making sure that everything was all in good order.

When he walked into his bedroom, the first thing he saw was a picture of him and Maes on the dresser. Maes had taken that picture by holding the camera in one hand and giving Roy bunny ears with the other. That had been the day that they promised to go after military command together, and push Roy to the top.

Roy sat down on the edge of the bed and laid the picture in his lap.

That had been so long ago. He had changed so much. All he had wanted then was power, and women in mini-skirts. Okay, maybe he hadn't changed _that _much. He still liked the idea of women in mini-skirts.

He wanted to go see Riza, but she was working. He could go get his stuff back in order at the office, but he didn't feel like it. He didn't have a dog to play catch with, and didn't want to go find Riza's spare key to see Black Hayate. So, he went to the cemetery.

Quickly he found what he was looking for; the tombstone of Maes Hughes. He stood and read the epitaph for what must have been the hundredth time. He stood staring at the stone for over an hour. He must have gotten something out of it, because when he was done, he walked away with a slight smile.

On his way home Roy passed a flower shop. He couldn't resist, strolling his way inside, he wondered what Riza would like the best.

There were bouquets of red, white, pink, and pale peach roses, carnations, wildflowers, baskets of mums, and several other flowers Roy couldn't identify. What to get? What to get? Roses were pretty, but they weren't original to him. He decided he would try his hand at arranging. He picked out two amber coloured irises, a few orchids, three white roses, some greenery, and some baby's breath. Roy chose a slender crystalline vase to put it all in.

He walked over the register, paid for the bouquet, didn't look twice at the cost, and went home, feeling very satisfied with himself.

Roy spent the rest of the day straightening up his house and dusting. Things had gotten very dusty while he was away. He didn't like cleaning, but he didn't want Riza to see his home as messy as his desk was in his office.

At exactly 5:05, the doorbell rang, just as Roy somehow knew it would.

He let Riza in, pulled the vase from its hiding spot behind his back and presented it to Riza.

Riza almost gasped in surprise. No one had ever given her flowers before. She didn't see Roy as a flower guy, either.

"Wow. Those are beautiful."

"Arranged it myself, just for you," Roy grinned.

Again Riza looked shocked.

"Believe it. I especially like the amber ones. They remind me of your eyes."

Now she blushed. She wasn't used to Roy being like this. She liked it, but it was still sort of strange seeing another side of him.

Riza sat the flowers down on Roy's table and they moved their way into the living room.

The two of them sat down on Roy's couch and talked. Not just small talk, or talk about work. They actually had a decent conversation.

At around seven they decided to go and get something to eat. Roy took her to a lavish restaurant in the middle of town. He even pulled out her chair for her to sit down.

During their meal, Roy couldn't take his eyes off of her pale lavender dress. It was almost exactly the same color of the orchids sitting in the vase at his house. Her hair was down. It was a lot longer than he imagined it to be. Roy didn't like sitting on the opposite side of the table, so far away from her.

They left the car parked at the restaurant and decided to walk around the town. It was getting later and most of the people were heading towards their houses for the night.

They passed the city water tower on their way home. Riza looked up at it and wondered what it would be like to see the city from up there, so high in the air.

She looked to Roy. "Would you like to climb it?" She asked as she gestured to the tower.

Roy took one look at her beautiful slightly above knee length dress and thought, 'This could be interesting.' He answered sure, and they went over to the tower.

There was a maintenance ladder at the base of the tower, which lead to a platform near the diameter of the oval shaped tank. It didn't take long for the two of them to reach the platform. It was about a foot wide all the way around the tank. They walked around pointing out buildings and houses they knew. When they reached the point over looking the woods, they sat down and let their legs dangle over the edge of the platform and looked out under the railing.

"It's hard to believe all that happened out there in those woods." Riza whispered almost to her self.

"No one would believe how many times you had to save me," Roy whispered back.

"Or how many times you saved me."

They had been through so much together for so long that most things just went between them without being spoken.

Riza laid her head on his shoulder, and Roy stroked her hair. He loved her hair.

"You should wear your hair down more often."

"I would, but it would just get in the way."

He smiled at her, the way she sacrificed everything for her job, for her work to protect him, made him smile. But he didn't want her to feel like she had to protect him forever. He wanted to protect her just as much. He wanted to be there for her forever.

"Riza,"

"Hmm?" She looked up at him.

"Marry me?"

She looked at him, at those coal black eyes, somehow shining in the dark, and started to answer him.

Before she could, he spoke again. "I know I'm not on one knee or anything, but I think that might be dangerous right now. I'll kneel for you later, if you'd like."

She smiled. "You don't have to kneel, if you don't want to. I'll marry you anyway."

"Really?" Roy asked, exasperated, like a little kid asking if he can really have something that seems too good to believe.

"Yes," she said laughing. "I will."

"I'll let you pick your ring out. Any one you like. I don't care what it costs."

"Okay, okay."

She kissed him deeply, and he kissed her back.

Somewhere within Riza's house, Black Hayate barked frantically.


	30. Chapter 30

Roy looked at his paper work and sighed. He hated paper work. It was two days before his wedding and he was stuck with paper work.

The thought occurred to him to just set it all on fire in a "freak accident", but he though better of it.

Instead, he turned his attention to the letter he was writing.

It was his formal resignation.

Roy sighed as he continued to write. He had loved his military career, but it somehow wasn't the same as it had been before. Or rather, he wasn't the same.

He had decided to retire from the military not long after he and Riza had gotten engaged. All of the sudden going after military command wasn't as important any more. Besides, a council had replaced the Fürhür anyway. It wasn't like he was going to be out of money either. He had his State Alchemist license to support him. And, if he kept his license, he could keep his rank, which had recently been promoted, to general.

No, he had decided that that the military was no longer his place. It was time to settle down, get a wife as Hughes always said, and have a family.

There was a knock on his door. Roy laid down his pen.

"Come in! The door is unlocked, and I'm not getting up!"

Riza came in with a scowl on her face.

"You shouldn't be speaking like that. For all you know, that could have been a superior!"

"I just got promoted, remember. There aren't many here that are superior in rank to me."

"Stubborn as always," Riza muttered.

"Did you just come in here to bug me, or do you have something to say?" Roy asked her playfully.

"Edward is missing."

"Oh, is that so? Are you sure he didn't just get overlooked? I mean, he is rather short..."

"No," Riza had to suppress a chuckle. I'm serious. He hasn't been seen in a long time, even after the military stopped hunting him. And something else is really strange."

"What?"

"Alphonse showed up at the Pinako's in the body of a ten year old boy, looking much like he did the night he lost his body."

"Hmm." Mustang's face fell, but he didn't let it show.

"He has no memory at all of being in that suit of armor."

"None at all?"

"No. The last thing he remembered is the transmutation where the two of them tried to bring their mother back."

"That's odd."

Riza sniffled. "Do you think that Edward is,... is,..." she couldn't finish.

"No." Roy whispered. "It would seem that he gave his life for his brother's, and in doing so gave up his body for that of Al's. But no, Riza. I have my own theories."

"What do you think happened to him?"

"I don't know. Perhaps he grew taller and people just don't recognize him any more. Perhaps he's running around central now."

She smiled. "Perhaps."

Riza looked at Roy's desk. "What is that?" She asked, gesturing at Roy's paper.

"My resignation."

"What?"

"My resignation. I'm retiring."

"Why on earth would you do that?"

"Well, last night I realized that the reasons I joined the military no longer meant anything to me. I joined to take command, take charge, make women wear mini-skirts, and have my share of glory. For years I've poured all of my energy and efforts into being the 'perfect officer', kissing up to people to get promoted because I wanted to be the Fürhür. Well, there is no office of Fürhür anymore. I already have all the power I need. I can make you wear a mini-skirt, and I've had my glory. I think it's time I start turning my attention to something new. I spent years loving the military, and it got me no where. I would rather spend my efforts loving something, or rather someone, who would love me back, and not let me go unrequited."

Riza's eyes were brimming with tears. She walked around the desk to Roy who had stood up.

They embraced. He wrapped his arms around her and ran his fingers through her hair. For the first time in a long time, Riza cried. She buried her face in Roy's shirt and cried, not out of fear, sadness, or desperation, but joy.

Roy smiled. He couldn't wait for the honeymoon.

UNREQUITED LOVE

THE END

**((:A.N. YAYAYAYAY! We're done here! Don't forget to review! You're feedback is SO vital to what I write! It may take me a while to think up an entire sequel, but when I post the first chapter, I'll post the name of the story on here labeled SEQUEL. Well, what are you waiting for? Go read and review some of my other fics! Please?**

**OH! I would like to thank all of my readers and reviewers! And one of my bestest friends ever, Rose, for helping me keep motivated. I love you all! Woot:))**


	31. Chapter 31

((/: Author's Note: HEY!!! You can guess what this means!!! Chapter one of the sequel is UP AND ONLINE! Sorry it took me two forevers to get it up and running! Thank you all so much!!! It's titled The Small Miracles. Thanks for reading:/))


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